A DRIVE to speed up environmental change has been given a boost in Tameside.

Families in Hattersley, Ashton under Lyne and Haughton Green took part in a four-year national study to highlight environmental concerns in Britain's poorest neighbourhoods.

The Centre for Sustainable Development at the University of Westminster carried out the research for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation after finding that few people knew who to ask for help.

A é1bn increase in council budgets over the next three years will fund environmental improvements, and the Anti-Social Behaviour Act has given councils power to tackle environmental damage.

About 25 residents from Tameside and others from Wolverhampton took part in the study, which gave them a chance to highlight problems in their own areas and allowed the councils to act directly.

Forward thinking

The biggest problem for the Tameside group was anti-social behaviour, with youths on some estates creating a "reign of terror". Another concern was that regeneration projects were taking too long.

Tameside council said it would work closely with local people to tackle their concerns.

The report authors described the council as "very forward thinking".

Dr Karen Lucas, who carried out the research, said: "We recruited people from Tameside, who were not the `usual suspects' such as tenants' association members - we picked people from outside chip shops and schools.

"Their main concern was environmental damage being caused by anti-social behaviour. They were also concerned that they had seen plans for local projects, which have not been completed.

"The idea was to make them aware that there are bodies that will address their concerns."

Huw Davies, from Tameside council, said: "It's great that the findings of the report confirmed that all the hard work Tameside council has undertaken to respond to people's concerns is bearing fruit."